Sweden: Melodifestivalen 2023 to be hosted by Farah Abadi and Jesper Rönndahl

The 2023 season is slowly approaching day by day, and it sure feels like that when the heavy Eurovision countries are getting their word out. Sweden just recently revealed how many songs were received and now, we even know who will guide us through 28 of the selected songs, when we approach the month of February.

Melodifestival 2023 Hosts

Before we get a look at the hosts for next year’s Swedish selection, then it is worth mentioning that the Swedish broadcaster (SVT) closed it’s submission period almost 2 weeks ago. Shortly after, it was revealed that a total of 2.824 songs had been received, which is the greatest amount of entries received in the last decade. With the usual high standards in Sweden, the show runners are working hard to have the best songs compete in 2023.

Now then, yesterday SVT also decided to announce their hosts for next year’s edition of the beloved national final, and the 6 shows will be run by professional host Farah Abadi and comedian Jesper Rönndahl.

Farah Abadi:

• Eurovision fans and especially Melodifestival fans will most likely remember her from earlier this year, when she hosted Melodifestivalen 2022 along with Oscar Zia. Her professional career started in the early 2010’s, as a radio presenter in Malmö, in which the station was owned by Swedish radio (SR). This led her, to her on screen hosting of Sommarlov. Even more noticeably has been her involvement with the show Musikhjälpen, which she has hosted multiple times. A show that is dedicated to a helping a special cause each year. She even had a role as a reporter, when Sweden last hosted the song contest in 2016.
• About hosting Melodifestivalen 2023, she had the following to say: “It feels incredibly fun to be a part of Melodifestivalen again. And that I get to have funny, sharp and wonderful Jesper by my side – what an honor“

Jesper Rönndahl:

• Known as a comedian in Sweden, who also started his career through the radio. In 1999 he took part in a radioshow called Tinnitus, which then led him taking part in the P3-radio (owned by SR) show called Så Funkar Det. Since, he has been part of loads of comedic shows both on radio and tv. In 2010, he was awarded best newcomer at the Swedish Stand-up Awards. In recent years, he was the host of a satirical show called Svenska Nyheter (Swedish news), back in 2018-19.
• About hosting Melodifestivalen 2023, he had the following to say: “This is the biggest TV Show I’ve done which is of course super exciting. I haven’t exactly made myself known as a music-guy so my role is more keeping it all in check – and being funny. It feels incredibly comforting and fun to be able to have Farah at my side“

Melodifestivalen 2023 will not only return on Swedish television screens in February and March, but will also for the first time since 2020, return to it’s usual format, where the show will be hosted in 6 different Swedish cities.

The set dates for Melodifestivalen 2023 are as follow:

• 1st heat: Gothenburg – February 4th 2023
• 2nd heat: Linköping – February 11th 2023
• 3rd heat: Lidköping – February 18th 2023
• 4th heat: Malmö – February 25th 2023
• Semi-final: Örnsköldsvik – March 4th 2023
• Final: Stockholm – March 11th 2023

With almost 3.000 submissions, do #YOU have a personal favorite #YOU hope to see next year at Melodifestivalen, and what do #YOU think about next years host pair?
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Source(s): SVT.se (In Swedish)